Ant International to let AI agents shop across AlipayHK, Starryblu, KakaoPay and Toss

Ant International, a subsidiary of Chinese fintech giant Ant Group, has launched an open-source framework called the Agentic Mobile Protocol (AMP) to facilitate AI agents in handling electronic wallets for purchases. The protocol, which has been integrated into Ant International’s existing Alipay+ cross-border network, aims to serve as a global technical standard for secure AI agent payments.

AMP enables AI agents to interact with popular mobile payment systems such as Alipay in mainland China, AlipayHK in Hong Kong, Starryblu in Singapore, and KakaoPay or Toss in South Korea.

Yang Jiang-ming, Ant International’s chief innovation officer, explained that AMP would allow these AI agents to become trusted actors within existing mobile payment systems. This development comes as tech companies focus on autonomous AI agents capable of managing various commercial tasks. Ant Group CEO Cyril Han Xinyi noted that many Chinese merchants face difficulties in adapting their services to AI agents' needs, which hinders their participation in the emerging agent economy.

Ant International aims to build the world's largest agentic AI payment network, with its Alipay+ network currently connecting over 150 million merchants to more than 2 billion user accounts across various regions. In July, the company raised approximately US$1.2 billion during its initial funding round, with Ant Group and Alibaba Group Holding as backers.

To address concerns related to consumer privacy and security risks associated with automated spending, AMP includes an AgentSafePay feature that offers merchants a money-back guarantee for potential losses associated with agent-initiated transactions.